LGBTQ+ Awareness and Education

LGBTQ+ Acronym

• L: Lesbian (women who are attracted to women)
• G: Gay (men who are attracted to men)
• B: Bisexual (people who are attracted to both men and women)
• T: Transgender (people whose gender identity does not align with the sex they were assigned at birth)
• Q: Queer (an umbrella term for people who do not identify as heterosexual or cisgender)
• +: Represents other identities that do not fit into the above categories, such as pansexual, asexual, and genderqueer

LGBTQ+ History

• The modern LGBTQ+ rights movement began in the 1960s with the Stonewall Riots in New York City
• Prior to the 1960s, LGBTQ+ individuals were often persecuted and marginalized, with many facing discrimination, violence, and even death

LGBTQ+ Rights

• LGBTQ+ individuals have faced and continue to face discrimination in areas such as employment, housing, and healthcare
• Marriage equality was legalized in the United States in 2015 with the Supreme Court's decision in Obergefell v. Hodges
• Many countries still criminalize same-sex relationships, with some imposing the death penalty

LGBTQ+ Identity

• Gender identity: one's internal sense of being male, female, or something else
• Sexual orientation: one's emotional, romantic, or sexual attraction to others
• Gender expression: how one presents their gender to the world
• Cisgender: when one's gender identity aligns with the sex they were assigned at birth
• Genderqueer: when one's gender identity does not fit into the traditional male/female binary

LGBTQ+ Issues

• Higher rates of mental health issues, such as anxiety and depression, due to discrimination and marginalization
• Higher rates of suicide among LGBTQ+ youth, particularly trans youth
• Disproportionate representation in the criminal justice system, with LGBTQ+ individuals facing higher rates of violence and discrimination behind bars

LGBTQ+ Support

• The Trevor Project: a national organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services for LGBTQ+ youth
• GLAAD: a media advocacy organization working to promote understanding and acceptance of LGBTQ+ individuals
• PFLAG: a national organization providing support and advocacy for LGBTQ+ individuals and their families